Another excellent article from Simon Louie. Depressing certainly, but maybe spot-on. Combined with his earlier article about the coming demographic crisis in China, what he writes is not only possible but extremely worrying. If we put all our money on China having interests in resolving this issue, we may - for an extremely short time - regret it.

But maybe one fragile, vain hope is that China and other economic powers, such as Japan, the US and south Korea, might co-operate on setting up major economic zones in North Korea, close to the Chinese border, with the promise that North Korea, by investing its labour in such projects, will be treated as an equal partner in such an arrangement. But maybe that's just a silly day-dream :)

Joe

Posted by Loudmouth, Thursday, 4 May 2017 9:49:06 AM

A better alternative would be for China to tighten the screws on N Korea progressively over a few months to send a clear message.

Progressively cut off the supply of oil to N Korea, then progressively block shipping to and from N Korea, and start disrupting the electricity and communications systems in N Korea.

Posted by Peter Lang, Thursday, 4 May 2017 10:10:42 AM

Ah, but do they want to, Peter ?

Posted by Loudmouth, Thursday, 4 May 2017 10:42:04 AM

Australia's answer to North Korea's nuclear bomb threat.

Australia could trigger an eruption of a super-volcano in North Korea.

There is a 99% chance that Mount Paektu volcano in North Korea will erupt some time in the next 15 years. It erupted in 946 A.D killing 71,000 to 92,000 people. Today there are 1.6 million people living within 100km of this volcano. Currently the 2744m high volcano is warming up and rising. It has a 20 km wide mass of molten magma under it. Kim Jong Un needs to know that even without an atomic bomb there is a strong possibility that we could cause the volcano to erupt using our existing weapons.

I expect Australia would be happy to agree not to aggressively trigger an eruption of Mount Paektu if North Korea agreed to stop threatening us with its nuclear bombs, and totally removed the threat.

A random bomb explosion on the side of a large volcano is unlikely to set off an eruption. Triggering an eruption needs to take into account many factors. I think there is little doubt that we, or at least America, could cause some sort of eruption, even if we had to use multiple bombs to produce the right kind of earthquake.

The big problem is determining the size of the eruption. We do not want a super-eruption - that would drastically affect the whole world.

We have to also take China, Japan, Russia and South Korea into account. As Paektu is on the border we also need to be assured no landslides will be in that direction as the volcano has a 5km wide lake at its summit.

The recent brief volcanic activity alarmed the North Korean authorities and forced them to set aside their policy of isolation and secrecy. In 2005 they contacted China and top scientists in Western countries for technical assistance to study the volcano. Once they become aware that we could trigger Paektu volcano and its "Heavenly Lake" they should be alarmed - Wake up Kim Jong Un!

(PS I cannot use your current email for normal contact)

Posted by Lloyd, Thursday, 4 May 2017 10:48:14 AM

As I watched the goosestepping troops and the massive military might built up by an apparent madman? I saw a troubling history repeating itself, albeit, with weapons that could soon wipe out two thirds of the world?

Moreover, given the posturing and a nothing left to lose attitude, waiting for a madman to make his move, is not an option! Particularly if he is China's stalking horse?

And given their reaction, he and North Korea may well be?

If we're going to do this, the let it be with the least possible collateral damage!

We need inordinately accurate intelligence, we need to know where he and his top generals sleep, where the bedrooms are when they will be home and which way the doors open etc/etc! Then send in a surgical strike; or some "gift" cruise missiles of our own through bedroom windows to take out a monster and his top generals?

Other than that, neutron bombs exploded at altitude will eliminate all life and electronics at a limited and defined predetermined ground zero, and needs to be used before N.K. has the capacity to respond!

Better them than us! And who would want to be commander in chief, with that decision and choices to make?

Even so, had we had those capacities before WW 11 and used one, we may well have averted a war, spared or saved millions of lives and avoided inestimable property damage!

Nobody could want war! But if left with no other choice? Hit first and as hard as is necessary to eliminate the threat!

If China or Russia is covertly involved? Then let it be a salutatory lesson to them also! I mean where do you think all that massive military hardware came from?

And shipped? Even as a patent genocidal madman was threatening all and sundry and for years, with the latest victim, a brother eliminated as easily as one might swat a fly?

If that's is how a brother is treated, what compunction stills his, use it or lose it, hand against us? Alan B.

Posted by Alan B., Thursday, 4 May 2017 11:43:30 AM

How about the US close the 400 odd military installations which now surround North Korea and China.

The threat level evaporates and everyone gets left alone.

Oh, but no, we can't do that, the US has a military industrial complex and global hegemony to maintain.

Too bad, the solution is staring us in the face but you would not know it due to the warmongering US rhetoric going on.

The feckless Trump and his insane neocon supported generals can't have peace any where, they would have nothing to spout on about. Don't forget they are the 'exceptional people' and the rest of us globally are not.